Browsing Posts in Knicks

The slumping New York Knicks (4-11) will travel to Dallas to face the upstart Dallas Mavericks (10-5). During the off-season, these two teams engaged in a trade that sent center Tyson Chandler back to Dallas. Point guard Raymond Felton was also included in the trade, but Chandler, an ex-Defensive Player of the Year, was the key cog of the deal. In return, New York received point guards Jose Calderon and Shane Larkin, center Sam Dalembert, and two second round picks. New York’s star small forward, Carmelo Anthony, who is averaging only 23.2 points per game, is dealing with knee soreness and back spasms. Anthony exited Monday’s game against Atlanta due to back spasms and will not play in tonight’s contest. Anthony is averaging four fewer points per game than last season, but is shooting a lot better from 3-point range. Anthony is making 48 percent of 3-point attempts this season compared to just 41 percent last season. With Anthony injured, JR Smith and Amare Stoudemire will need to step up. Stoudemire is averaging 16.3 points per game over his last three contests.

As a team, Dallas is averaging an NBA-high 109.3 points per game. Despite the lofty offensive totals, Dallas’ offense has struggled recently. Dallas has lost back-to-back games to the Houston Rockets and to the injury-ravaged Indiana Pacers. Dallas has averaged just 96 points per game in these two losses. Look for Dallas to get back on track against a New York team that is allowing 99 points per game.

Even though Dallas and New York split last year’s meetings, Dallas has won 14 of their last 17 home games against New York. Anthony averaged 32 points per game during last year’s meetings, but will miss this game.

Every single fan of the New York Knicks has been extremely disappointed with the play of Amar’e Stoudemire since arriving a few seasons ago. Injury issues and inconsistent play have plagued him during his entire tenure with the team, but he seems to be showing at least a little bit of promise in the preseason so far. It is not out of the question to think that he could good together somewhat of a bounce back season in 2014-2015. If he is able to provide some decent value in fantasy basketball, the New York Knicks could be a surprising team in the Eastern conference.

It is just the preseason, but Stoudemire seems to be saying all the right things. He has been going on record saying that he feels happy and young again on the floor, and that is great news for a guy who has cost only been on the trainer’s table throughout his career. Despite all the wear and tear on his body, he is still just 31 years of age. His body is severely damaged, but it might not be broken just yet. He is never going to be that same highflying act in the paint, but he has talked about changing up his game and contributing in other ways.

The best players in the NBA are able to redefine themselves once they lose a little bit of their athleticism. Stoudemire is no longer able to dunk on the opposition at will, but he is working on his game on the other side of the ball in order to provide value on defense. New York desperately needs some inside defense now that Tyson Chandler is back in Dallas. It is still a work in progress, but he has shown some promise early on in the preseason.

On offense, Stoudemire has worked hard on his jump shot in order to space the floor it little bit more. He should be able to fit in nicely in the triangle offense if he’s able to knock down shots outside of the paint. With his career at a serious crossroads, he sees that this might be his last chance to really show that he still belongs in the NBA. For his team’s sake, hopefully he is able to have a pretty successful campaign.

The New York Knicks made headlines earlier this week by hiring Phil Jackson as their President of Basketball Operations. The 68-year-old Jackson will collect a staggering $60 million over the next five seasons to fix the Knicks. That’s big money for an older yet very successful basketball mind. Ever since they began negotiating with Jackson, the Knicks have played much better.

The 27-40 Knicks, winners of six straight, will host the struggling 50-17 Indiana Pacers. The Pacers have been sluggish on offense and have failed to cover ten of their last eleven games. The Knicks, on the other hand, are 5-1 against the spread over their last six. The Knicks are currently ninth in the Eastern Conference and sit 4.5 games behind Atlanta for the final playoff spot, so expect this team to play with a great sense of urgency. There are only 15 games to go, so every win matters. Especially when Atlanta has won five straight games.

The Knicks will get center Tyson Chandler back on Wednesday night. Chandler is a welcome addition for an opponent that loves to push opponents around inside. Amare has played with a sense of urgency and JR Smith is taking better shots. Maybe Jackson already has a winning influence on this team.

The New York Knicks (25-40) will go for their fifth straight win as they head north to face the Boston Celtics (22-42). The Knicks currently sit in 10th place in the Eastern Conference and just 3 1/2 games out of the final playoff slot. During their five game winning streak, the Knicks have scored 114 points per game while shooting 41 percent from three-point range. The Knicks took care of business by handling the hapless Philadelphia 76ers, 123-110. Guard Tim Hardaway led the way with 28 points.

New York has defeated Minnesota, Utah, Cleveland, and Philadelphia during their winning streak which shows they’re winning the games they need to win. After facing the Celtics, the Knicks will host the Bucks at home on Saturday. Getting two wins is critical.

Last night, the Celtics dropped a 94-83 decision in Indiana to the Pacers. Jared Sullinger led the way with 17 points and nine rebounds. Kris Humphries chipped in with 15 points and nine rebounds. Indiana is known for their tough defense and that defense was on full display. Indiana held Boston to just 35 percent from the field, which included a 19 percent mark from three-point range.

Boston has defended the three-point very well, allowing opponents to make just 19 percent of their shots. The Knicks made 50 percent of their three-pointers in their most recent meeting on January 28th. The Knicks won 114-88.

Current NBA odds peg New York as a 4.5 point road favorite. New York has agreed to terms with Phil Jackson to become their president of basketball operations, so the distractions are running rampant. I don’t like betting again home dogs and I won’t buck this trend in this spot. Take Boston and the points at home for your NBA pick.

The New York Knicks (21-40) have lost eight straight games and continue to tumble down the Eastern Conference standings. Entering Wednesday’s tilt, the Knicks are 6.5 games out of the final playoff spot. The Minnesota Timberwolves (30-29) are riding a wave of momentum, winning seven of their last eight games. The Timberwolves just completed a 4-1 road trip including an impressive 132-128 victory in Denver. Minnesota’s recent surge has put launched it into a four-team race for the last three playoff spots. Minnesota has four straight home games against Eastern Conference foes that are a combined 59-games below .500.

Over his last seven games, power forward Kevin Love has been scorching hot from the field. Love is averaging 33 points per game while shooting 47 percent from 3-point range. Love has absolutely dominated the Knicks, averaging 33 points and 21 rebounds over his last four meetings. Love had 34 and 15 in the team’s first meeting at Madison Square Garden earlier this season. The Knicks have given up 112 points during their seven game losing streak which is the worst mark in the NBA.

Current NBA odds slot Minnesota as a 9-point home favorite. The Knicks are a paltry 7-37 when they allow 93 points or more. Minnesota has only been held under 93 points in four of their 27 home games. Individually, Anthony has won eight straight games, when healthy, when playing in Minnesota.

Pick: Minnesota -9. The Knicks are reeling big time while Minnesota has been rolling. Minnesota’s offense put on an absolute show in their 132-128 victory over the Nuggets. The Knicks have given up 113 points per game and should get absolutely shredded by Minnesota. Back the T-Wolves in this showdown.

Fresh off a very disappointing 98-93 road loss to the Memphis Grizzlies, the New York Knicks (20-33, 9-15 away) must travel to New Orleans to face the Pelicans (23-29). After a rocky ending to the first half of the season, Mike Woodson did not reassure New York ownership that he’s the right man for the job. After playing three solid quarters of basketball, the Knicks fell back into their lazy defensive ways which led to 32 points for Memphis. Carmelo Anthony’s final stat line (32 points, 11 rebounds) looks impressive, but he was very sluggish during the fourth quarter and deferred big shots to JR Smith and Pablo Prigioni (gulp). Anthony did play 42 minutes, but every game has meaning and the Knicks cannot afford to squander away fourth quarter leads.

The New Orleans Pelicans ranks towards the middle of the league in all offensive and defensive categories. Led by Anthony Davis, the Pelicans present an uber athletic power forward that will give Anthony fits on the defensive end. The Pelicans also feature a three guard lineup of Jrue Holiday, Eric Gordon, and Tyreke Evans that is extremely difficult to defend.

Current NBA odds have the Pelicans pegged as four-point home favorites. In fact, it’s hard not to like the Pelicans in this game. The Knicks have lost six of their last seven games and lost their only road back-to-back game of the year in early January. Anthony looked completely gassed during the fourth quarter and more travel time will not do him any favors. I like the Pelicans in this match-up. Expect the Mike Woodson replacement rumblings to continue.

The New York Knicks (20-31) currently sit in tenth place in the Eastern Conference. The Knicks dropped a tough 112-110 decision in Oklahoma City to the Thunder on Sunday. The Knicks hung tough for three quarters, but were unable to stop Kevin Durant in the fourth quarter. They’ll try to right the ship when the struggling Sacramento Kings (17-35) come to the Big Apple. The Sacramento Kings have dropped three straight games including an embarrassing 109-99 decision last night to an undermanned Cleveland Cavalier squad. Demarcus Cousins and Isaiah Thomas combined to score 37 points, but did not receive much support from their team mates. They’ll need more help if they want to knock off the Knicks.

These two teams have their fair share of issues with personnel and coaching. In addition, both squads have players that seem uninterested in the final result. DeMarcus Cousins regularly gets ejected from games while JR Smith acts completely indifferent during games. Trade rumors continue to swirl around Carmelo Anthony, but I have a hard time believing the Knicks will trade him. Carmelo will opt out of his contract this summer and have the ability to sign with any team. The Bulls are a rumored trade partner, but I can’t see the Knicks taking draft picks and young players for their franchise player.

After ripping off four straight wins, the New York Knicks (19-29) have dropped their last two games. On Saturday Night, the Miami Heat came to New York and beat down the Knicks, 106-91. LeBron James, who always relishes the opportunity to play in NY, had 30 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, and six steals. Carmelo Anthony scored 28 points. On Monday Night, the Knicks dropped a rough 101-98 decision in Milwaukee to the hapless Bucks. The Milwaukee Bucks (9-39) are one of the league’s worst teams and this loss demonstrates how inconsistent the Knicks are. The Knicks made just 15-of-24 free throws and allowed Milwaukee to drain 11-of-18 three pointers. The Knicks must limit the three point barrage if they want to win on Wednesday night.

The Portland Trail Blazers (34-14) enter Wednesday’s tilt ranked third in the Western Conference. Their game against the Knicks is the ‘sandwich game’ of a short three-game road trip out East. On Monday night, the Blazers lost 100-90 to the resurgent Washington Wizards. Portland’s Big 3 of Damian Lillard, Nicolas Batum, and LaMarcus Aldridge all scored 18 points or more in a losing effort. After opening Portland as a 1.5 point road favorite, the line shifted to favor Washington by one point.

Current NBA odds have the Blazers pegged as a 3.5 point road favorite. The Blazers had a day to rest after a tough road loss while the Knicks could be reeling after an inexcusable loss to Milwaukee. The Knicks tend to play-up (or play-down) to their competition. Wednesday’s game will be nationally broadcasted on ESPN, so I’m expecting a strong effort the Knicks.

Just a few days ago, the Big Apple’s two basketball franchises faced each other, with the Nets defeating the Knicks 103-80. It was a case of sweet revenge for the Knicks, who has lost badly in the first cross-town rivalry in December.

However, apart from local bragging rights, little attention was paid to the two results. Both teams are sub .500 and the Knicks, in particular, are off the pace when it comes to looking at the post-season. Few people who bet on NBA would argue that this rivalry is one for the ages; the contest needs some spice added to make it worth fans’ time.

Well, first off, it would help if both teams were better. They may share a division and a city but the game itself is not going to draw more interest until both teams are playing better basketball.

Big-name players are always going to be a draw in any NBA rivalry, and the Knicks have one of those in Carmelo Anthony, but is less clear who his counterpart would be within the Nets organisation. Yes, they have both Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce but both of those are too far beyond their prime to be considered a direct match for Anthony. The Nets need to find a marquee player to really make that head-to-head work and prove a talking point between the two teams.

What would spark a real contest and rivalry between the two teams would be a playoff series – regular season games are fine but there is nothing to spark the fans’ interest like a seven-game competitive post-season series. These two last met back in 2004 and, since then, the two teams have had problems, with none of them making the post-season let alone both of them. However, in the future, a real post-season head-to-head should spark major interest in New York and fuel the rivalry.

Last, but not least, wouldn’t it be fun to see the two franchises going toe-to-toe over a big name signing? Further spice can be added to that confrontation if the player they are fighting over plays (or has played) for one of the franchises previously. In the present, we might have to wait a couple of seasons before we have such a situation. As things stand, both franchises are focused on slashing their payrolls, not poaching the other team’s overpriced players. Fans may have to wait until the following summer of 2015 for a major bidding war between the teams.

This Knicks-Nets match-up has the potential to be a great rivalry; sometimes, it just takes a spark to ignite such competition. It may take a few years, but fans of NBA betting know that any one of the above sparks could well light a fire that could rage for years.

The 8-18 New York Knicks are in serious trouble. Just one season after winning 54 games, the Knicks are devoid of any championship talk or aspirations. On the surface, it’s just a matter of time before owner James Dolan axes head coach, Mike Woodson and replaces him with assistant coach, Herb Williams. However, such a move would essentially end the Knicks’ season and may push impending free agent, Carmelo Anthony out the door. In addition, the lack of suitable replacements on the open market make axing Woodson a premature move. The Knicks could turn to ex-Knicks Larry Johnson or Allan Houston to take Woodson’s spot on the bench, but neither guy has skill or experience to take over the team.

While it’s easy to blame a coach for a team’s slow start, Carmelo Anthony and co. can’t deflect all of the blame. Melo is averaging 26.4 points per game and 9.1 rebounds per game, but his poor showing percentage (44.3%) and low assist total (2.9 APG) aren’t getting it done. JR Smith is starting to play better, but Woodson did not have Smith’s services for the first five games of the season. Add in Tyson Chandler’s 20-game departure due to a broken leg and the injuries sustained by Pablo Prigioni and Raymond Felton have rendered the Knicks without a point guard. Still, if the Knicks continue to lose games, Woodson won’t be around to see all of his guys return.

More times than not, coaches are saddled with the blame for failing to meet expectations. They receive credit and failure based on their team’s performance. Under certain circumstances, the coach should be given a chance to turn things around. Woodson, winner of 54 games last season, should coach the Knicks for the entire season. Axing Woodson now will just lead to turmoil during a season when the team must rebound and prove it can retain the talents of Carmelo Anthony.

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